Supporting-bracket for unlocking-levers.



'No. 717,947. 'PATBNTED JAN. 6, 1903.

J. TIMMS.

SUPPORTING BRACKET EUR UNLOOKING LEVERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1902.

v1m MODEL. 2 sums-awn 1t [NVE TOR A Home No. 717,947. PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

J. TIMMS. SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR UNLOGKING LEVERS;

APPLICATION FIL'ED 1111711, 1902. N0 Menu, 2 SHEET8-SHBET 2.

lzvgazyroza A ttarney UNITED STATES PATET BFICE.

JAMES TIMMS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUCKEYE MAL- LEABLE IRON AND COUPLER COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SUPPORTING-BRACKET FOR UNLOCKlNG-LEVERS.

SiPEOIFIGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 717,947, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed iTuly 11, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES TIMMS, a resident of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supporting-Brackets for Unlocking-Levers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved supporting-bracket for unlocking-levers, and more particularly to improved devices for attaching the unlockinglevers of automatic couplers to the car, the object of the invention being to provide an improved bracket of this character in which the lever can be mounted therein after the bracket has been secured to the car and which will serve to maintain a given distance between the end of the unlocking-lever arm and the top of the coupler, regardless of how the handheld of the lever may be bent.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts,

as will be more fully hereinafter described,

and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan View. Fig. 3 is a view in section on the line at w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line y y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a View showing the complete unlocking-lever in position on a car. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are views of a modification.

1 represents the end of a car, having the usual dead-wood 2, on which is secured my improved bracket 3 by means of bolts 4. The bracket comprises an elongated plate having a lug or lugs 3 on its under face to enter the dead-wood and slotted at each end, as shown at 5, to receive bolts 4: and permit of a certain amount of adjustment of the bracket. The uncoupling-lever 6 is journaled in a bearing 7 on the bracket, at one side of the center thereof, said bearing comprising a curved arm 8, made integral with the bracket and bifurcated at its end to receive the hinged member 9 of the bearing, connected by a cross pin or rivet 10 with said rigid member. The

fiericl No. 115,236. (No model.)

opposite end of the hinged member is enlarged, as shown, to have a firm hearing between flanges 11 on the bracket and is secured therein by means of a pin 12, passed through alined holes in the flanges and member 9. It will thus be seen that by providing this hinged construction of bearing the uncoupling-lever can be placed in the bearing after the bracket has been secured to the car, which is a decided advantage over a solid hearing, which necessitates the insertion of the lever in the hearing before the bracket is secured to the car.

Beside the bearing 7 bracket 3 is made with a raised shoulder or support 13, on which the uncoupling-arm 14 of the lever rests when in its lowest position, hence always maintaining the proper distance between the uncoupling-arm and coupler and insuring the proper position of the arm, regardless of how the handhold 16 at the opposite end of the lever may be bent. With similardevices heretofore the handhold 16, resting against the CPLPSlll, governed the position of the uncoupling-arm, and when this handhold became bent the uncoupling-arm would be misplaced, and it is one of the objects of my invention to insure the correct position of said arm, as its position is not dependent in the slightest upon the handhold. The support 13 also serves to hold the handhold away from the car in convenient position to be grasped and uncouple the cars.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have illustrated a modification in which the bearing '7 is made semicircular and one end provided with an integral cross pin or bar 20 and the other end with parallel perforated cars 21. A curved plate 22 is adapted to close the bearing and is contracted at both ends, as shown. It is adapted to have one end inserted beneath bar 20 and a pin 24 passed through a sleeve 23 at its other end and through the ears 21, thus securing the locking-lever in the bearing by the employment of a single removable pin.

A great many other changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an uncoupling device, the combination with a lever provided with an uncoupling-arm, of brackets in which said lever is mounted, and an auxiliary support on one of said brackets, said support in position to hold said uncoupling-arm normally a fixed distance from the coupling device with which it is connected.

2. In an uncoupling device, the combination with a lever provided with an uncoupling-arm, of a bracket in which said lever is mounted at a point in proximity to said arm and an auxiliary support on said bracket for the uncoupling-arm, said auxiliary support so disposed relatively to the uncoupling-arm as to normally hold said arm a fixed distance from the coupling device with which it is connected.

3. In an uncoupling device, the combination with a lever having an uncoupling-arm, a bracket comprising two members, one movable relatively to the other to permit the insertion of thelever between them,said bracket provided with an auxiliary support disposed to retain the uncoupling-arm normally a fixed distance from the coupling device with which it is connected.

4. A bracket for uncoupling-levers, comprising a plate slotted near its ends to receive securing-bolts, a bearing on said plate for the uncoupling-lever comprising a curved mem ber integral with the plate, a hinged member hinged to said curved member, a pin to connect the opposite end of the hinged member to the plate, and said hinged member enlarged at its end to have a firm bearing on the plate.

5. The combination with a coupler-unlocking lever, of a bracket having a main support for said lever and an auxiliary support disposed under the unlocking-arm of said lever when said arm is in its normal or lowered position and retaining said arm normally in a fixed distance from the coupling device with which it is connected.

6. The combination with a coupler-unlocking lever, of a bracket supporting the same and having an integral auxiliary support on its forward edge disposed to receive the lower face of the unlocking-arm thereon when said arm is in its normal or lowered position and sustain said arm normally a fixed distance from the coupling device with which it is connected.

7. The combination with a coupler-unlocking lever, of a bracket supporting the same and having an integral auxiliary support on its forward edge and extending upwardly to receive the lever-arm thereon when said arm is in its normal or lowered position and maintain said arm normally a fixed distance from the coupling device with which it is connected.

8. The combination with a coupler-unlocking lever, of a bracket supporting the same and having an integral auxiliary support at its forward edge extending upwardly to receive the under side of the lever-arm, and said bracket having slots for attachment of the bracket to the car, and a downwardly-projecting lug or lugs on the bottom of said bracket.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES TIMMS.

Witnesses:

E. H. SYMINGTON, J. G. STONE. 

